The present invention relates generally to container lids, and more particularly to container lids utilized in the food and beverage industry that allow access to the contents of the container.
With the ever increasing mobility of the population, it has become a common practice for retail outlets to dispense hot or cold beverages in throwaway containers usually of a type providing heat insulation; the contents of the containers are kept in place by the provision of removable lids. Generally, such lids are comprised of thin resilient polymeric material. The lids are removed to allow a full width opening for filling and then placed over the container to eliminate the problem of spilling the container contents. Such spillage may occur accidentally, such as by simple clumsiness on the part of the user, or by exposure to other causes, such as the result of a rough vehicle ride, the attempt by a user to walk or run, or otherwise. With a fully closed lid the purpose of preventing spilling, most users also desire to drink from the container without removing the lid entirely. This reduces the chances of spillage, especially where consumption occurs in a moving vehicle. A lid also provides thermal insulation. Therefore, various expedients have been provided to allow access without complete opening and/or removal of the cover.
Attempts in the past to overcome the problem of spillage have included providing an opening in the container lid to receive a straw. This type of lid is effective for use with those cold drinks that are conducive to consumption through a straw. However, hot drinks such as coffee, hot chocolate or tea, and cold drinks such as beer and ale are not amenable to consumption through a straw. Therefore, the lid on a container designed to eliminate spillage has sometimes required removal in order to drink the beverage. Removal of the lid increases the area through which the beverage may be spilled and exposes the beverage to ambient temperature conditions. This can foster relatively rapid and undesired temperature changes of the beverage, should the desired consumption temperature be hotter or colder than ambient.
Prior art attempts at solving this problem included a container lid having a small removable portion, limiting exposure of the beverage or drink to ambient conditions and reducing the area through which the beverage may spill while still allowing the user access to the contents of the container.
This was often accomplished by providing, in general, a pair of spaced apart tear impressions extending inwardly from the edge of the lid which terminated within the central portion of the lid and defined therebetween a portion sometimes herein referred to as an access strip. This access strip was usually recloseable, at least in theory, and usually included a self-forming foldline associated with a pair of spaced-apart tear impressions being used to define the entire access strip.
However, due to the resilient nature of the lid material, the recloseable access strip often interfered with the user's access to the beverage and oftentimes led to spillage on the individual user. Attempts at providing an access strip securable in both open and closed positions to allow a user to drink free from interference with the access strip have been made, but such attempts thus far have not always been successful.
The access strips associated with the prior art would sometimes not stay in their secured open position, often releasing from this position while the user was drinking. Additionally, significant manipulation was required on the part of the user to secure the access strip in the open position; this was also required to return the strip to its closed position to prevent further spillage. In other cases, formation of the parts needed to provide a two-position "bistable" access strip i.e., one that stays either open or closed, as desired, has been unduly complicated and/or expensive.
In accordance with the present invention, these problems have been substantially overcome.
In view of the failure of the prior art to provide a cover or lid with the best combination of advantageous features, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved container lid.
Another object of the invention is to provide a container lid which allows direct access to the container contents while being readily reclosed so as to substantially reduce the rate of temperature change and also to avoid spillage of the contents.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a container lid which may be moved from a substantially secure closed position to a substantially secure opened position with very limited manipulation on the part of the user.
Another object of the invention is to provide a container lid wherein an access flap is provided that, in combination with a portion of the lid, provides a pin latch mechanism for retaining the access flap in an open position.
Another object of the invention is to provide a container lid which be can be made as economically as prior art lids, but which also includes other desirable features of operation and construction.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a thermoplastic container lid which includes an access flap with a finger tab and wherein the access flap may be latched in the open position without positioning the finger tab in an inaccessible position.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a container lid wherein the access flap portion thereof includes a pin latch mechanism which may be formed by an ingenious but simple and effective method.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a container lid which includes an improved, simple mechanism for retaining the lid in the open position and which permits considerable design flexibility in positioning the cooperative latching elements.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a container lid having an access flap which may be latched in the open position and wherein the mechanism includes a pin which cooperates with an opening that also serves as a vent opening in the container lid.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a container lid which is adapted for cooperation with a wide variety of cups or like containers.
The foregoing and other objects are achieved in practice by providing a lid having a center panel, a peripheral skirt, lines of weakness defining an access flap, and a latch pin mechanism for removably positioning the flap in a latched-open position.
The exact manner in which these and other objects are achieved in practice will be more apparent when reference is made to the illustrated embodiment shown in detail in the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers indicate corresponding parts.